God's Peace Plan

As I write this, twenty of the remaining Israeli hostages are being released from Gaza after enduring two horrific years in captivity. It is certainly a bittersweet moment—sweet for those who are being reunited with their families, and bitter for all who have lost loved ones in this conflict. I don’t know all the details of the peace plan, but I do know how difficult it has been to get all the parties to reconcile their differences.

The account of Philemon and Onesimus highlights the delicate subject of reconciliation. Simply put, reconciliation means restoring harmony. We most often think of it in terms of relationships. Onesimus had run away from his master, creating a serious rift between them. To restore harmony, the two sides needed to reconcile their differences.

The ultimate picture of the need for reconciliation is found in humanity’s relationship with its Creator. Ever since the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3—when Adam and Eve disobeyed and sinned against God—there has been a break in the relationship between mankind and God. Scripture teaches that Adam’s sin has tainted all of humanity; we have all inherited a sin nature, which means there is disharmony.

But there’s good news: what was broken in the Garden was reconciled at the Cross. God graciously initiated the ultimate Peace Plan to bring us back into fellowship with Himself. The moment we say “I do” to God—placing our faith in Christ—a miraculous event takes place: we are immediately reconciled to Him.

As a result of God’s complete forgiveness toward us, we can now extend forgiveness to others. Read Matthew 5:23–24 and be reminded of the process of confessing wrongs and seeking forgiveness when relationships are strained.

Press on,

Pastor Brian Richard